A severe pandemic would harm health, economies, and communities in all countries, but especially in poor and fragile states. Pandemic prevention requires robust public health systems (veterinary and human) that collaborate to stop contagion promptly.
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This report reviews some of the
accomplishments of the Global Program for Avian Influenza
Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response (GPAI).
This multisec... Show More +toral program comprised 72 projects in 60
developing countries in all regions and received $1.3
billion in financing from the World Bank. This support for
GPAI projects was one of the World Banks contributions to a
coordinated global response to the threats of avian and
pandemic influenzas, which benefited from financing of $4
billion from 35 donors in 2006-2013. Thanks to this support,
developing countries strengthened their capacity for early
and effective disease control, bringing substantial public
health and economic benefits to the countries and to the
world. According to Harvard University Professor and former
US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, "[veterinary
and human public health systems are] probably the single
most important area for productive investment on behalf of
mankind." Indeed, circulation of the highly pathogenic
avian flu virus was reduced, helping to lessen the
likelihood of onset of a pandemic. Moreover, the projects
improved public health systems for reducing locally-relevant
health threats. The report presents a brief background on
the global program and cross-country accomplishments and
then highlights accomplishments for each project, by region. Show Less -

The Avian and Human Influenza Facility
(AHIF) is a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World
Bank and supported by the European Commission and nine other
don... Show More +ors. It was established in 2006 to respond to global
concerns over the rapid spread of avian influenza and the
costs associated with it: threats to public health, economic
damage, and loss of livelihoods. AHIF grants to government
agencies in developing countries support country-led efforts
to: prevent and control avian influenza and other zoonotic
diseases; and increase preparedness for pandemics and other
complex disasters. In remote, landlocked Bhutan, outbreaks
have been contained swiftly due to an intensive public
awareness campaign and bio-security training for government
supervisors, poultry businesses, and farmers. A US$2.5
million AHIF grant supported communications on the
importance of prevention to the general public and to
poultry farmers. Prevention is obviously essential, but
success requires complex efforts to keep poultry healthy and
uninfected along the entire poultry-handling chain: from
family farmers and commercial poultry enterprises to
marketing, public supervisory agencies, and border control
teams. A lack of skills, knowledge, or resources at any
point along the chain increases the risk of unsafe practices
or of potential threats going undetected, creating an
opening for the spread of disease. AHIF funded capital and
other upgrades in diagnostic human and animal health labs
and related services. These improvements allow the labs to
perform their critical early disease detection and diagnosis
roles and coordinate more effectively. Financing for
transport helped rapid response teams deploy to outbreak
sites and extended surveillance to potential disease
hotspots in the poultry-handling chain from out-of-the way
family farms to commercial enterprises, backyard poultry
set-ups, and markets in villages and cities. Show Less -

During the quarter from January 1 to
March 31, 2013 the status of grant activities within the
Avian and Human Influenza (AHI) facility was as follows: no
grants wer... Show More +e closed or extended. The regional grant to World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for joint OIE or World
Health Organization (WHO) work to develop and test
assessment tool in East and South Asia and Eastern Europe
was approved for $3.12 million. Cumulative disbursements
reached $79.3 million (73 percent of signed grants) at the
end of March 2013, compared to $77.6 million at the end of
December 2012. This report covers the implementation
progress of the six currently active grants: Cambodia,
China, Mongolia, Nepal, South Asia Regional (SAR), and Vietnam. Show Less -

During the quarter ending on December
31, 2012, the status of grant activities within the Avian
and Human Influenza (AHI) Facility are: one grant was
closed; Tunisi... Show More +a ($0.65 million). The total amount of signed
grant agreements is $130 million. One grant, Mongolia ($2.9
million) has been activated and is now under implementation.
Remaining pledge from the European commission of 2.35
million under East and South Asia trustee window has been
received. One grant is in the pipeline; regional grant to
OIE for Joint OIE/World Health Organization (WHO) work to
develop and test assessment tool in East and South Asia and
Eastern Europe ($3.0 million). Total disbursements reached
$77.6 million (60 percent of signed grants), from $76.4
million at the end of September 2012. Show Less -

During the quarter from July 1 to
September30, 2012: no grants were closed or extended; two
grants; Nepal ($10 million) and China 3 ($2.6 million),
which were appro... Show More +ved in the previous quarter, started
implementation; one grant, Mongolia ($2.9 million), which
was approved in the previous quarter, is pending for grant
agreement signing; one grant is in the pipeline; regional
grant to OIE for joint OIE and World Health Organization
(WHO) work to develop and test assessment tool in East and
South Asia and Eastern Europe ($3.0 million); and cumulative
disbursements reached $76.4 million (60 percent of signed
grants) at the end of September 2012, compared to $75.9
million at the end of June 2012. Show Less -

During the Quarter ending on June 30,
2012, the status of grant activities within the Avian and
Human Influenza (AHI) Facility are: four grants were
closed-Lao PDR ... Show More +1 ($2 million), Lao PDR 3 ($0.1 million),
Morocco ($0.9 million), and regional-Middle East and North
Africa (MENA) ($0.3 million). Three grants were
approved-Nepal ($10 million); China 3 ($2.6 million); and
Mongolia ($2.9 million). Two grant agreements-Nepal ($10
million) and China 3 ($2.6 million)-were signed increasing
the total signed agreements amount to $127.1 million. The
grant agreement for Mongolia is pending and will be signed
as soon as the transfer of funds from European Commission is
made. Call of funds procedure has been initiated with
European Commission to request remaining pledge of 2.35
million under East and South Asia window. Total
disbursements reached $75.9 million (60 percent of signed
grants), from $71.8 million at the end of March 2012. Show Less -

This study aims to build on the findings
from the previously mentioned studies, and seeks to provide
more detailed information on the costs of the various
functions... Show More + and categories of expenditure involved in the
establishment and operation of system for the prevention and
control of emerging zoonotic diseases at country and global
level. It will also seek to provide information on
efficiency and effectiveness gains that will result from the
introduction of a One Health approach. With these aims, the
study has two target audiences: (a) project planners, who
will benefit from the information of the costs of setting up
surveillance and control systems to be used as benchmarks
when planning preparedness and control operations; and (b)
policy planners at the decision-making level, who would use
the information on the efficiency and effectiveness gains to
guide them in the decision-making process regarding the
eventual introduction of One Health. This report
disaggregates costs by task, making explicit those
activities that are critical for effectiveness and
identifying scope for efficiencies. The analysis draws on a
range of data sources and earlier work, including integrated
national action plans for, and World Bank staff appraisal
reports on, avian and pandemic influenzas responses, a
survey of the directors of wildlife services, assessments of
veterinary systems in developing countries, and OIE (Office
International des Epizooties - World Organization for Animal
Health) analyses of disease prevention systems. Show Less -

During the quarter ending on March 31,
2012, the status of grant activities within the Avian and
Human Influenza (AHI) facility are: (i) AHIF multidonor
window was ... Show More +closed as of December 31, 2011 in line with the
Administration Agreement ; (ii) no grants were closed or
extended in the quarter from January to March 2012 ; (iii)
two grants were submitted for approval and currently waiting
for advice from the European Commission (EC); Nepal (10
million dollar) and China 3 (2.6 million dollar); (iv) two
grants are in the pipeline; Mongolia (2.9 million dollar),
and Regional - Europe and Central Asia (ECA) (1.8 million
dollar); and (v) total disbursements reached 71.8 million
dollar (62 percent of signed grants), from 70 million dollar
at the end of December 2011. Show Less -

Animal diseases pose a profound
challenge to global public health. Every year, 2.4 billion
people in developing countries are infected by diseases with
origins in a... Show More +nimals (zoonotic) and 2.2 million die as a
result. These are not the pandemic illnesses like HIV/AIDS
and influenza that are also zoonotic, and that that
periodically dominate the headlines and command the
attention of the international community. The prevention and
control of zoonotic diseases is a global public good, and
the very definition of a development issue with
transboundary impacts. The international public health
concerns generated by SARS, HPAI, and H1N1, laid bare the
mutual dependency between countries near and far. This was
an incentive to cooperation as no one country or even group
of countries, could have faced these threats alone. It was
also a reminder that no single sector or group of
specialists can mobilize an effective global disease
response. The Bank has much to offer, its contributions are
unique and, without them, it is difficult to imagine a
successful transition from sporadic emergency responses to
the long-term systemic strengthening that will help protect
the poor from high and growing risks and increase shared prosperity. Show Less -

During the Quarter ending on December
31, 2011, the status of grant activities within the Avian
and Human Influenza (AHI) facility are: (i) two previously
approved ... Show More +grants were signed; Vietnam (13 million dollar )
and South Asia Phase II (3.9 million dollar). Total amount
for signed grants reached 115 million dollar (an increase of
16.9 Million dollar from previous quarter); (ii) one grant
was cancelled; Colombia (0.9 million dollar); (iii) seven
grants were closed; Vietnam 1, Mongolia, China 1, South Asia
1, Honduras, Belize, and Nicaragua.(iv) three grants were
extended; Cambodia, Lao PDR 3, and Global 2; (v) four grants
were reported to be in the pipeline; Nepal (10 million
dollar), Mongolia (3.5 million dollar), China (1.5 million
dollar), and Regional - Europe and Central Asia (ECA) (1.8
million dollar); and (vi) total disbursements reached 70
million dollar (61 percent of signed grants), from 66
million dollar at the end of September 30, 2011. Show Less -

During the quarter ending on September
30, 2011, the status of grant activities within the Avian
and Human Influenza (AHI) facility are: (i) no new grants
were appr... Show More +oved, and no new grants were submitted for
approval; (ii) regional grant for South Asia which had been
approved on December 9, 2010, still awaits signature (iii)
second grant for Vietnam (13 million dollar) which had been
approved on May 31, 2011 was signed in October 2011; (iv)
four grants were closed; Mexico, Myanmar, Regional ECA, and
Syria; and (v) six grants were extended; Honduras, Lao PDR
1, Morocco, Regional - Middle East and North Africa (MNA),
Tunisia, and Vietnam. Show Less -

The International Ministerial Conference
on Animal and Pandemic Influenza (IMCAPI), held in Hanoi in
April 2010 was the seventh in a series of such meetings. All
of... Show More + these conferences represent international cooperation and
coordination at the highest levels. They also represent a
shared sense of purpose, in which a major threat to
development, and human health and poverty reduction is
anticipated in a very strategic way. Addressing the threat
of emerging and re-emerging pandemics of zoonotic origin is
an excellent place to start. The issue forces us to think
outside of the 'silos' in which we work, it
demands coordination between sectors within our institutions
as well as coordination among partner institutions. The
World Bank Group and its international partners have a role
to play in advancing, supporting, and helping to make the
one health agenda operational across countries. Defining
that role was the subject of a learning exchange titled
'towards one health: new approaches to managing
zoonotic diseases' held in Ho Chi Ming City, Vietnam
from April 14 to 17, 2010. The event was also used to
exchange technical knowledge and ideas about good practices
that had emerged from avian influenza-related operations,
and to develop recommendations to inform future one health activities. Show Less -

During the quarter ending on June 30,
2011 the status of grant activities within the Avian and
Human Influenza (AHI) facility was as follows: two new
grants were ap... Show More +proved, a second grant for Vietnam ($13
million) and a supplemental grant for Myanmar ($0.37
million), bringing the cumulative value of approvals to
$115.4 million and number of approved grants to 56. Four
grants are in the pipeline; China ($1 million), Mongolia ($3
million), Sri Lanka ($5 million), and Europe and Central
Asia (ECA) regional ($1.8 million). Eight grants were
closed; Bangladesh, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Lao
PDR, Uganda, West Bank Gaza, and Yemen. The closing dates of
ten grants were extended; Belize, Cambodia, Lao PDR,
Morocco, Myanmar, Nicaragua, regional Middle East Consortium
on Infectious Disease Surveillance (MECIDS), Syria, Tunisia,
and Vietnam. Total disbursements increased to $63 million
(55 percent of total grant approvals), from $59 million at
the end of March 2011. This report presents statistics on
the status of the donor pledges and contributions, its grant
approvals and pipeline, and grant disbursements. It gives
approval and disbursement tables in annex 1; regional
approval and disbursement charts in annex 2; and regional
portfolio and pipelines in annex 3. Show Less -

During the Quarter ending on March 31,
2011, the status of grant activities within the Avian and
Human Influenza (AHI) Facility are: 1) no new grants were
approved,... Show More + but one regional grant for South Asia, approved in
the previous quarter, still awaits signature; three grants
were signed, for Colombia, regional work in the Middle East
and North Africa, and a regional project in Europe and
Central Asia; 2) no new grants were submitted for approval
pending donor approval of an extension of the completion in
the administration agreement; 3) six grants are being
prepared for submission, for follow-up work to existing
projects in China, Mongolia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam,
and Mecosur countries of southern South America; 4) two
grants closed, for Bhutan and Sri Lanka, with total approved
amounts of $2.6 million; and 5) total disbursements
increased to $59 million (57 percent of total grant
approvals), from $55 million at the end of December 2010. Show Less -

During the quarter ending on December
31, 2010, the status of grant activities within the Avian
and Human Influenza (AHI) Facility are: 1) four new grants
were appr... Show More +oved, worth a total of $8.1 million, bringing the
cumulative value of approvals to $102.1 million; 2) a grant
of $0.9 million for Morocco, approved in 2009, was signed on
October 6, 2010; 3) two regional grants are under
preparation, one for Eastern European countries, and one for
Southern Cone countries in the Latin American/Caribbean
region; 4) no grants closed; 5) five grants, totaling $22.3
million, previously scheduled to be closed, were extended;
and 6) total disbursements increased to $55 million (54
percent of total grant approvals), from $48 million at the
end of September 2010. Show Less -

This is the fifth in a series of reports
to document global progress with control of animal and
pandemic influenza. Global efforts continue to work towards
ensuring... Show More + a world capable of preventing, detecting and
responding to animal and public health risks attributable to
zoo noses and animal diseases. At the 7th International
Ministerial Conference on Animal and Pandemic Influenza
(IMCAPI) held in Hanoi, Viet Nam, 19-21 April 2010,
approximately 500 representatives from over 70 countries met
to reaffirm global commitment to addressing these issues.
The report presents a framework for sustaining momentum,
which was agreed by delegates at the April 2010 IMCAPI. The
framework offers three streams of work that need sustained
attention by national, regional and global authorities
despite the inevitable waning of public interest in
pandemic-related issues. The three work streams are: 1)
prevention and control of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza
(HPAI); 2) adoption of one health approaches; and 3)
readiness for response to influenza pandemics. For each, the
framework envisages two expected outcomes and identifies the
actions which contribute to these expected outcomes. It
identifies the incentives and institutional arrangements
needed to sustain momentum, highlights systems for
monitoring progress, and spells out investment priorities-
particularly to support institutions and systems in the
least developed countries. Show Less -

During the Quarter ending on June 30,
2010, the status of grant activities within the Avian and
Human Influenza (AHI) Facility are: 1) a single grant in the
amount ... Show More +of $300,000 was approved to support the
implementation and administration of Nicaragua's
national plan for the prevention and response to A/H1N1
human influenza; this approval increased the total value of
approvals since the inception of the AHI Facility to $94
million, representing a total of 50 grants, excluding one
grant that was cancelled; 2) 21 grants have been closed,
including one small Bank?executed grant, and two approved
grants await signature; hence, the number of currently
active grants is reduced to 27; 3) total disbursements rose
to $44 million, or 46.8% of total grant approvals, which
compares with $40 million, or 42.8% three months ago; and 4)
in spite of diminished expectations of new resources, the
grant pipeline remains basically unchanged from three months
ago, within the short timeframe remaining for the relevant
window of the facility, the Africa region is fully funded,
but the Latin America & Caribbean and Middle East and
North Africa regions are underfunded by $3.4 and $1.3
million, which is a reduction from $3.9 and $4.2 million, respectively. Show Less -

This report focuses on the approval and
implementation status of AHI facility grants as of March 31,
2010. Highlights include: two grants were approved during
the r... Show More +eview period: $3,853,629 for regional training in
animal epidemiology for South Asian countries; and $90,000
for a bank-executed study of results achieved and lessons
learned from the implementation of facility grants; with
these two approvals, cumulative commitments made against
facility resources totaled nearly $93.7 million; as of end
of this review period, 17 grants had been closed, including
the five non-performing grants, thereby reducing to the
number of active grants to 30; total disbursements rose to
$40 million, or $42.8 percent of total grant approvals, at
the end-December 2009; and the grant pipeline is largely
unchanged with the Latin America and Caribbean and the
Middle East and North Africa regions underfunded by $3.9 and
$4.2 million respectively. Show Less -

Whether living in urban or rural
environments, humans tend to perceive the world around them
as being shaped by culture and industry more than by natural
history. H... Show More +umans, however, are part of a biological continuum
that covers all living species. Charles Darwin's 200th
birthday in 2009 could serve to remind us of this. All
animals, including humans but also plants, fungi, and
bacteria, share the same basic biochemical principles of
metabolism, reproduction, and development. Most pathogens
can infect more than one host species, including humans. In
1964, veterinary epidemiologist Calvin Schwabe coined the
term "one medicine" to capture the
interrelatedness between animal and human health, and the
medical realities of preventing and controlling zoonotic
diseases or "zoonoses" -diseases that are
communicable between animals and humans. One medicine
signaled the recognition of the risks that zoonotic diseases
pose to people, their food supplies, and their economies.
Given the interrelatedness of human, animal, and ecosystem
health, the rationale for some form of coordinated policy
and action among agencies responsible for public health,
medical science, and veterinary services is quite intuitive.
Later, the term "one health" came into use, and
later still, the broader concept of "one world one
health," which is today used to represent the
inextricable links among human and animal health and the
health of the ecosystems they inhabit. Show Less -

Highlights of the facility's
operations during the quarter ending December 31, 2009 are
as follows: the administrative agreement with the Government
of India, as th... Show More +e tenth facility donor, was countersigned by
the ministry of finance on September 30, 2009; six grants
reached their normal closing dates, four in the Europe and
Central Asia region, one in the Middle East and North Africa
region, and a global mid-term evaluation grant;
disbursements rose to $36.3 million, or 40.5 percent of
total grant approvals, which compares with $29.4 million,
and 34.7 percent, respectively, reported three months ago;
the return of resources to the multi-donor trust fund,
caused by the partial cancellation of existing grants, has
created a projected Africa region pipeline surplus of $2.1
million that could help to offset expected funding shortages
in the Latin America and Caribbean, and the Middle East and
North Africa regions. Show Less -